Fuel oil filling system



March 30, 1948. F. BOYLAN 2,438,800

FUEL OIL FILLING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 13, 1945 INVENTOR OJLLWMQQfW Patented Mar. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUEL OIL FILLING SYSTEM I Francis L. Boylan, New Orleans, La. Application August 13, 1945, Serial No. 610,495

4 Claims. 1

The present invention is an improvement on the Fuel oil filling system disclosed in the patent to McCauley et al., Patent No. 2,340,070, granted January 25, 1944,

In the system disclosed in the aforesaid patent, it has been discovered that when all the tanks become full and the last of the manifold valves are closed, that the stand pipe valve will automatically close, and. that the closing of the stand pipe valve will cause the full pressure of the fuel oil pump to be developed on the filling line and filling connections with no flow in the filling line or connections. Unless the pumps are stopped immediately, the filling connections may become broken to spill fuel oil over the deck and create a serious fire hazard.

The present improvement has for an object to provide a means for assuring that the stand pipe will remain open when all the tanks are full and all the manifold valves are closed to prevent the building up of full pump pressure on the filling lines and filling connections.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means responsive to the full condition of all the tanks to prevent the tandpipe valve from automatically closing when the last of the manifold valves are closed.

A still other object of the invention is to provide a means responsive to the closing of all the manifold valves for preventing the standpipe valve from automatically closing when the last manifold valve is closed.

Figure #1 is a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of the invention in which a means responsive to the full condition of all the tanks is utilized to prevent the standpipe valve from automatically closing when the last manifold valve is closed.

Figure #2 is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of the invention in which a means responsive to the closing of all the valves prevents the standpipe valve from automatically closin when the last manifold valve is closed.

The Fuel oil filling system of the patent to Mc Cauley et al. No. 2,340,070, provides for the simultaneous filling of a plurality of fuel oil tanks on a Vessel. The tanks have various shapes and capacities and will become full at different times. The system provided is arranged with a standpipe valve in a standpipe which will automatically open when any one of the tanks become full to reduce the pressure in the filling lines and connection. When the manifold valve to the full tank is closed, the standpipevalve will automatically close to re-establish the full pump pressure in the filling lines and connections. This automatic closing operation of the standpipe valve takes place at the instant'wh'en each manifold valve is closed. If the tanks are all full and the last manifold valve is closed, the standpipe valve will be closed and the pump pressure will be reestablished on the filling lines and connection which may build up to such pressure as to cause a rupture of the filling lines or connections. To prevent the closing of the standpipe valve when this condition exists and thus guard against spilling fuel oil over the decks and creating a fire hazard, is the purpose of the present improvement.

In Figures #1 and #2, a standpipe I is provided with a valve 2 capable of opening the stand pipe for diverting the flow of fuel oil temporarily and capable of being closed to stop such diversion of the fuel oil so that the full pump pressure will again be developed in the fuel oil filling lines. The valve 2 is provided with a combined valve closing motor, clutch and spring operated opening means 3 for actuating the standpipe valve in response to the control of an electrical system to be later described. The means 3 is arranged so that when it is energized, the valve will be closed and when the circuit and the means 3 connected thereto is de-energized, the valve will automatically open.

For controlling the means 3, a differential relay 4 is provided for each tank, having a coil 5 connected at one end to the negative side of an electric supply circuit 6'. A connection is made to the coil at a point intermediate its ends to the positive side of the electric supply circuit I, whereby a current will continually be flowing in the one part of the coil 5. The other end of the coil 5 is connected through a switch means 8 associated with the manifold valve leading to the particular tank and through another switch means 9 to the negative side of the electrical supply circuit 6. The switch means 8 is normally closed while the manifold valve is open, The switch means 9 is normally closed and is asso ciated with a pressure responsive means NJ in the tank that opens the switch 9 when the tank becomes full. While the switches 8 and 0 remain closed, an electric current will flow in the two parts of the differential relay coil 5, and it will be electromagnetically balanced. The differential relay 4 has a contactor associated therewith shown at H, which is normally closed While the differential relay coil 5 is balanced. The switches H of each relay are connected in series between the positive side of the electrical supply circuit 1 through ,a relay coil l2 to the negative side of the electrical supplycircuit 6. The relay coil l2 controls the supply of electrical power to the valve actuating means 3 through a normally closed contactor 13 of the relay i2 and a normally closed contactor M of the relay Iii. While this circuit is closed or completed, the valve 2 will be closed and will be maintained closed until the circuit becomes open. a

The switch H is shunted by a normally open switch l6 associated with the manifold valve of the particular tank. It will be readily understood that when a tank becomes full, the pressure responsive means I!) actuates the switch!) to open the circuit through-the lower part of the differential coil to thus unbalance the coil 5 and cause the contactor II to be opened. This opens.

tain a lower pressure on the fuelioilfillingilin e's and connections until the manifold valve of. the full tank has been closed. When the manifold valve to the full tank has been closed, the switch I 5 ass'ociate'd therewith, willbe closed to shunt the open coiitactor I I "and"thus re-establish the circuittlirough tlie relay coil I2 to cause the contactor F3 T to close "the supply circuit through the S'Wltch M 'tO 'thB means-3. This-results in a closing of the valve 2 and 'a 're-establishment of the full pump pressure on'tl'ie fillingli'nes. Also, when themanifold valve is closed, theswitch 8 opens to break the circuit to the switch 9, and thus maintains the differential 'coil5-un-balanced. It may occur'that the manifold v'alve' is "closedprior to the tank becoming full. Insuch instance, the circuit'th'riough' the -closedswitchj9 would then be openedby the switch 8. This causes the switch I I to be' opened, and'the switch I5 shunts the.

switch I;lftdre establishfthe circuit through the relay coil ih The description so far, relates to the system as itjis disclosedin the aforesaid patent,

and which is partially disclosed in Figures #1 a d-#2:, i 7

Referring more particularly to Figure #1 of the drawing, the differential relay'd isprovided with an additional contactor I! in series with a relay coilI5. Thecontactor H of each differential relay are connected in parallel between the positive side :of the source of electric'power 1 and a conductor f8 connected through the coil E5 to the negative side'of source of power 5. The contactor'isnormally closed, while the differential r'elay're'mains balanced. When the relay 5 be Y comes unbalanced by reason of a tank becoming full or by reason of the manifold valve being closed, '"the contactor I 'I will open. The circuit throughjthe'relay I 5 remains ompleted, however, until all the. switches I? become opened. When allthe switches I I becomeopened by reason of all tanks becoming full or all manifold valves being closed, the circuitthrough the relay coil I5 will be interrupted and the contactor I4 opens the supply circuit to the means 3. It willthus be seen that the valve 2 will "be opened when the last tank becomes full or all manifold valves are closed, and will be prevented from being; closed when thel'ast manifold valveis closed to shunt the last switchl'l.

Referring tofFigure #2, a slightly different methodisius'ed to open the circuit of the relays. A switch I a is associated with the manifold valves and is normally closed whil'ethe manifold valves are open. The switches I9are connected in par.-

cuit land a conductor I8 connected through the relay coil I5 to the negative side of the supply circuit fi' When each manifold valve is closed, the switch I Q- 'is opened. The circuit through the relayflli remains closed however until the last'manifold valve is closed at which' time the last switch -I 9 is op'ened'to open the circuit through the relay coil I5 and thus interrupt thefsupplyacircuitrto allelb'e'tw'een the positive side of the' Supply cirscribed comprising, a plurality of tanks to be filled, afifilli'ng system for said tanks, including a manifold. valve connecting each tank to said fillingsystemastand-pipe connected to said filling system ior1diverting the flow of fuel. oil, a standpipe valve in said stand-pipe, means for opening said-"stand-pipe valve when any one of said tanks become full for -diverting the flow away from said fl 111' ta 1Tk, meshe -responsive to the closing'of the manifold 'valve to' saidfu'll tank for closingfsaid standepipevalve, andfmeansfor preventingthe'closing of said standpip'e-valve when all the m'ani-foldvalves afe' c-ldsed.

2, In a fuel "oil filling system df -th'e class tie-'- scribed 'c'dm' rising, a; plurality of tanks to' be filled, a filliiig system for said tanks; a manifold valve ferg'cbnne'ct to said filling system,- a starfdpipe --o'onhecte'd 'to said nuiug system, a stan -pipe vallve in said stand-pipe, means respon vs to "a fu'll -'condition of an oheo'f said tank'sa'nd operable-to open said "stand-pipe valve, means "responsive to the closing or the manuals 'v alve to said, full tank and operable to close said standpipe valve and means responsive-to the "fullf'conditionof all tanks connected to-said filliri'gfs yste'm, a "stand-pipe valve in said stand-pipe,-meahfs responsiveito a full condition of any ofsaid tanks and operable to open said stahd'pi'p'e valve, "meansjresponsive to the closing 'oftlie manifold valve to the full tank and operable for {closing said s'tand -pipe valve,

and means responsive to a "full condition of all of said tanksand.to theclosingfof'all of saidmanr fold valves fand :operable to prevent-the closing of the standepfip-e valve "wh en'all of said. manifold valves are closed.

4. In a fuel oil finmgsystem -'of the class'described, a plurality of tanks to be filled, a filling system for said tanks, ia manifold valve for connecting and -'disco'nrie'cting each tank to the jfilling system, a standmipejconnectedft'o said filling system, a fsta'n'd' pipe 'valvein said stand-pipe, means operable injrespdnse to affu'll condition of any one tank-to'ojpe'n said-stand ipip'e valve, means operablein resbqnsetp th'ejclosing of the manifold valve to the full tank jt'o "close said. stand-pipe valve ansmeansoperame nfrespon'se to a closed conditioiiof alldfsaidmai iifold valves ft'o prevent'the closing 'of 'saidfstand-pipe valve.

'FRANCIS L. BO YLAN;

REFERENCES cI'rEn' 7 V The following references. are. .of record in the file of this (patent;

2,340,070 [Macaula l Jan. 25, 194,4 

